Overview

Put yourself in the position to launch a career in the expanding field of augmented and virtual reality. In Producing for Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences, you’ll explore the branches of VR, tracing its impact on immersive storytelling across a variety of media. Guided by live-action and animated VR pioneer Dekker Dreyer, you’ll learn the landscape, terms and tools of immersive media. In class projects, you’ll learn how physical space impacts narrative goals, how to use audio cues to signal audience response and how to adapt a traditional script for a VR production.

Learn real-world techniques to develop immersive content for original series, games, commercials and more.
Gain skills in Unity that apply to storytelling in VR.
Create your own VR production from concept to distribution, ending the course with a final product you can include in your portfolio.

The future of storytelling starts here. Our flexible, online courses are 8-weeks long and asynchronous to accommodate your busy schedule.

What will you learn in Producing Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences?

Introduction to Immersive Storytelling
History of Immersive Storytelling
Influences of Cinema and Video Gaming on VR
Platforms and Tools—360 Video, Room Scale VR, AR, BBOC, Light Field
Thinking Experientially
Adapting a Script—Writing, Blocking and Boarding
Audio
The Cooperative Audience
Project Development

Prerequisites: No coursework is required from previous classes.

Required Software: Unity

Required Textbooks: Katz., S. (1991). Film directing shot by shot: Visualizing from concept to screen. Michael Wiese Productions: Studio City. ISBN-13: 978-0941188104.

McLain, B. & Barnes, J. (2016). The imagineering pyramid: Using disney theme park design principles to develop and promote your creative ideas. Theme Park Press: USA. ISBN-13:978-1941500965.

Peddie, J. (2013). History of visual magic in computers: How beautiful images are made in cad. London: Springer. ISBN-13: 978-1447149316

Rheingold, H. (1992). Virtual reality: The revolutionary technology of computer-generated artificial worlds – and how it promises to transform society. Simon & Schuster: New York. ISBN-13: 978-0671778972.

Dekker Dreyer

Dekker is a writer, director and artist working on the bleeding edge of technology and storytelling. As chief creative officer of immersive studio Clever Fox, his oversight on brand experiences with Star Wars, Bose, Warner Bros Records and Disney has made him a go-to expert in VR.

He directed and co-directed the first two VR documentaries from Participant Media (An Inconvenient Truth, The Help, Spotlight) as well as the first VR concert film at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. He’s the creator of the original VR series The Depths and the immersive film series Electric Sheep. He is the host of the VR Talk Show The Future is Virtual from Embolden Media.

After two decades in media Dekker continues to be a leading industry speaker, essayist, festival juror and commentator.

Course: Producing Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences

"I have learned plenty of valuable skills that will help me create an impressive virtual reality and augmented reality experience. The instructor has contributed tremendously towards helping us create compelling experiences. I was also able to impress my friends and colleagues with the portfolio I created from this course."
— John S., Columbia Online Student